Badger Watch

[Tragus]

Ever been on a badger watch? For the past few years I've always taken the hard route to badger watching. You know the way, sitting in amongst foliage getting eaten alive by midges, or balancing in a tree dressed in camouflage...but now!!!!!
I actually have a badger coming to the back door! It's a young male, last years cub, who has been pushed out of the sett and has taken up residency in a disused sett not 150 yards from our home.

He has an old rump wound that is healing (although I'm helping him out with a course of antibiotics in his food) and a torn left ear
So far he has just wandered around the perimeter of the garden, but one evening last week I went to switch off our generator (our electricity source...one of the joys of living in a forest!) and there he was, hiding in amongst the flowers right by the back door.
It just had to be done....I put out some peanuts, unsweetened jam sandwiches on brown bread, dog biscuits and dog food, and a toffee flavoured biscuit or two. (I know I shouldn't have put anything sugary, but I couldn't resist!!)
Hence the new visitors nickname.....Toffee!

There's a couple of attached photo's below which are a little grainy, but the quality of light isn't that good, I will have to fit a brighter bulb to the outside light for better shots. I daren't use a flash yet as it will spook him. Maybe when he is used to us being about I may be able to get some better shots.

The is the laziest way of badger watching, sitting looking through the window with a cuppa. Much better than what's on the TV too.
Eat your heart out Bill Oddie
Jo

[Wild-Woman]

Cor! Aren't you lucky. I wish he was in my back garden. That must be fascinating. Have you given him a name? ww

[Tragus]

Thanks ww
Sad I know, but I've nicknamed him Toffee. I just hope he 'sticks' around (get it? sticks > toffee )and isn't chased off by the bigger badgers we have around.
Jo

[Wild-Woman]

Cool! Hope he gets a little badger girlfriend that he sets up home with and they make lots of badger babies. ww :-)

[cherrybee]

The photos are lovely grainy or not what a lovely sight you are lucky

[Ollie]

As you say Tragus, it certainly beats watching television. I hope he sticks around and you can get some more photos of him. It sure is great when you have a wild creature like this living in your garden.
Ollie

[Jonny]

You could try putting a torch light on him when he is around, for your photo's. I was watching badgers last year and they were only 10 feet away from me and I was holding a powerful torch on them, which didn't bother them at all. It was only when I dropped the lense cap that made them leg it, oops...................Jon

[Mark43]

Originally Posted by Jonny

You could try putting a torch light on him when he is around, for your photo's. I was watching badgers last year and they were only 10 feet away from me and I was holding a powerful torch on them, which didn't bother them at all. It was only when I dropped the lense cap that made them leg it, oops...................Jon

Hahaha.........bet you were popular.

Nice shots Tragus..........don't fancy setting up Badger watch evenings at yours for a fiver a head do you.

[Tragus]

Now there's an idea I hadn't thought of Mark
I'm all for making money, but I don't think the walk through a dark forest first would be everyone's idea of fun!!! We have a locked barrier at the bottom of the track and I for one won't be running up and down all night with a key to let folks in.
Maybe if I set up a webcam!!!!!! Now there's a thought
Jo

[Tragus]

Never mind Jon, I'd probably sneeze or something and scare him away for good if I stood outside to get a photo.

The generator is still humming at this moment in time, so the badger won't be getting his supper for at least another hour yet.
The torch idea sounds good though, I might give it a go tomorrow night and see if it improves my awful photography!
Jo